The present invention relates to building materials, and in particular, to building materials having a simulated surface.
Throughout time, buildings have been finished with decorative woods, granite, marble and other polished stone surfaces. Given the ever-escalating price associated with using these materials in construction, their commercial uses are traditionally limited to lobbies, entranceways, elevators and wainscoting in offices, showrooms, and other retail establishments. Residential use is further limited to fireplace surrounds, and as an elegant way to frame doorways and windows. As with many expensive building materials, numerous attempts to simulate the appearance of these materials have been made.
The most prevalent simulation technique includes laminating a representation of the surface to be simulated. Laminating essentially involves attaching paper having the simulated image to a rigid board, such as particle board. A polymeric coating is applied over the surface carrying the image to protect the image. Although laminates constructed to simulate natural surfaces have been successful, the quality of these laminates regulate their use to lower-end environments because of their inability to closely simulate the real surface. One of the primary reasons that laminates fail to provide adequate simulations is the noticeable lack of depth when viewing the two-dimensional, printed images. Further, the inks used to provide the laminated image are prone to separate and yield an artificial-looking print.
In many commercial environments, these natural surfaces are attached to lettering, logos and crests. Currently, these additions are separately formed from natural or man-made materials and affixed to the natural surface to create the lettering, logo or crest. This process is expensive and time-consuming, especially when metallic, such as gold, additions are required.
Further, natural surfaces are often bulky, inconsistent in shape and size, and difficult to shape. These materials are prone to chipping and breaking, which increase the cost and labor associated with installation.
Given the expense associated with up-fitting buildings with natural surfaces and the void of simulated alternatives, there is a need for a simulated surface that substantially replicates a natural surface to a degree allowing substitution in high-end building environments. There is also a need to easily provide lettering and graphics on these surfaces. Further yet, there is a need for a high-end simulated surface on a medium that allows easy cutting and shaping for installation.
The present invention solves these needs by providing a building product, and a process for making the building product, that simulates the look of wood, marble, granite or other stone. The product is created by transferring a high-resolution image to a coated substrate using sublimation printing techniques. High-resolution, digital images are taken of a natural surface. These images are used to create an image on a transfer paper using sublimation inks. Building panels such as masonite, hardboard, medium density fiberboard, fiber-reinforced plastics, or cementboard, are provided with a polyester epoxy acrylate coating, or equivalent substrate capable of receiving sublimable inks. The transfer paper with the printed image is placed face-down on the substrate of the building panel. The transfer paper is pressed against the substrate and heated for a time sufficient to gasify the sublimable inks. The gasification causes the image to transfer into the image-receiving substrate. Because the ink is transferred throughout the substrate, the high-resolution image is retained with depth and richness.
The transferred image may include additional text or graphics that transfer into the image-receiving substrate to form a building material simulating a natural surface, with integral text and graphics. Further, the image-receiving substrate may provide various sheens, as desired.